Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent engagement he has had with (a) zoos and (b) aquariums on the inclusion of conservation animal transfers in a future UK-EU veterinary agreement.

We have worked closely with zoos and the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) to address challenges related to the movement of animals between the UK and the EU. This includes the availability of Export Health Certificates and to expedite requests for new EHCs, for breeding programmes where welfare concerns may arise.

Our future priority is to secure the long-term UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Agreement to reduce trade barriers and enable the safe and efficient movement of zoo animals. Our ambition is to reach an agreement that reduce administrative burden by streamlining SPS checks and certification, while upholding the UK’s commitment to ensure its biosecurity is protected within this future framework.

Ministers have actively engaged with the zoo and wildlife sector through multiple visits and discussions to understand it’s challenges and opportunities. This dialogue will continue as we work together to support ongoing improvements.